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BBC apologises to Jewish PinkNews founder over false sexual misconduct allegations
Benjamin Cohen and husband Anthony James win libel settlement after BBC reports triggered investigations into their family
The BBC has apologised and agreed to pay compensation to Jewish journalist and PinkNews founder Benjamin Cohen and his husband after admitting that sexual misconduct allegations made against them were false.
Cohen and Anthony James, who run the LGBT+ news website, received an unreserved apology at the High Court on Thursday following a libel case over a BBC documentary and news article published in December 2024.
The broadcaster withdrew claims that the couple had engaged in or tolerated sexual misconduct involving junior staff, as well as allegations that they had pressured young female employees to become surrogates for them.
The reports had serious consequences for the couple, who were new parents at the time, leading to additional social worker investigations concerning their baby son.
Cohen, PinkNews’ founder and chief executive, and James, its chief operating officer, said the allegations had turned their lives upside down.
“What should have been one of the happiest periods of our lives was instead thrown into chaos, impacting our business, our colleagues and our family,” they said.
The couple’s son, born through surrogacy, was just months old when the BBC broadcast PinkNews: Behind Closed Doors and published an accompanying article.
Following the reports, they were subjected to additional investigations by Cafcass, the body which advises family courts, ahead of a hearing to establish their legal parenthood.
Cohen also felt compelled to resign as a trustee of international disability charity Humanity and Inclusion, while James stepped down from his role on the board of Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
In a statement agreed by both sides and read at the High Court, the BBC accepted that the allegations were false and had caused serious damage to the couple’s reputations.
Representing the broadcaster, barrister Jane Phillips said: “The BBC retracts and apologises unreservedly for the defamatory allegations made in the programme and the article.
Cohen and James accused the corporation of reinforcing damaging stereotypes about gay men.
“By falsely portraying us as engaging in sexual misconduct and pressuring female employees over surrogacy, the BBC reinforced one of the most damaging homophobic tropes: that gay men are sexual predators who pose a threat to others,” they said.
They also questioned why it had taken almost two years for the BBC to acknowledge the allegations were false.
“It took minutes for these false allegations to spread around the world, but nearly two years for the BBC to publicly acknowledge that they were false,” they said.
The couple said their greatest concern throughout the ordeal had been the impact on their son as he grows older.
“We have worried about the day he goes to school and other children find these false allegations online. We have worried about what he might read about his dads, what his friends might say and what that could do to him.”
The BBC has removed the original article from its website, while the documentary is no longer available on iPlayer.
The compensation amount has not been disclosed. Cohen and James said they would donate the money to the Multiple Sclerosis Society and Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Charity.
A BBC spokesperson told PinkNews: “The BBC has reached a settlement with Ben Cohen and Anthony James. We will not be issuing any further comment.”
The couple said the apology had finally allowed them to begin moving forward.
“Today’s apology cannot erase what happened, but it means that when that day eventually comes, the truth will be there.”
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